Rotary key operated register



Septc 4, 1956 c. o. GRINER 2,761,372

ROTARY KEY OPERATED REGISTER Filed MaICh 16, 1953 United States Patent O ROTARY KEY OPERATED REGISTER Clarence 0. Griner, Ceresco, Mich., assigner to United States Register Company, Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,468 Claims. (Cl. 98'110) This invention relates broadly to a new and improved Wall register, and relates more particularly to a register having a damper behind a plurality of air directing and diffusing louvers, the damper being` adjustable by means of a rotatable key insentable from the front of the register at one side of same.

Registers have been proposed which have side mounted operators but those constructions have utilized operators which have considerable thickness and make necessary a relatively large opening in order to operably mount the register. It was a recognition of this undesirable situation and the need of a simplev and positive side operated register mechanism, which is thin, with the register lutilizing same beingV adapted to tit into an ordinary register opening, which led to the conception and development of the presentinvention.

. A generally similar register to the present one is disclosed in the companion U. S. patent application of Wilbert I. Parrish, which is being iiled concurrently herewith. In that application, a vertically swingable damper adjusting arm is directly engageable by a tiltable dat key and is frictionally held in adjusted position.

It is the principal object of the presentinvention to provide for operating the damper adjusting arm by means of a key-rotated Worm, whereby although friction may contribute to holding the damper adjusted, the worm Will be a positive safeguard against accidental creeping from adjusted position due to vibration, expansion and contraction, and the like.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and yet an effective manner for mounting the damper adjusting arm and its operating worm. s

A still further object is to provide a single sheet metal stamping to be welded to the register frame and coacting with thelatter in forming a bearing and casing for the Worm, as well as forming a support upon which to mount the register adjusting arm.

Yet another object is to provide the above mentioned stamping and the worm with novel coacting means for receiving the end thrust of the Worm in both directions.

A still further object is to provide a construction which may be easily, rapidly and inexpensively manufactured, and yet which will be thin, durable.

Still -further objects and advantages will appear as the highly advantageous, and

y Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

IFigure 3 is an enlarged inner side view of the damper adjusting arm with its segmental worm wheel end, the worm, and the stamping for mounting said arm and worm.

IFigure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 ofv Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with the worm shown in full lines.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the worm-rotating key.

The drawing discloses a construction which has proven to be commercially advantageous from standpoints of manufacture, sale and use, and while -that construction will be rather specilically described, it is to be understood that variations may be made Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

A rectangular register frame 10 is provided for reception in a wall opening, said frame 10 having a wall plate 11 to be secured against the wall. To prevent air leakage between the wall and the plate 11, the rear side of the latter is provided with an elastic gasket 12 adjacent its perimetrical edge.

The frame 10 is constructed from an outer sheet metal frame 13 and an inner sheet metal frame 14, the two frames 13 and 14 having lateral flanges 15 on their front edges which are welded together and to the wall plate 11. The end plates 16 of the inner frame 14 are in contact with the end plates 17 of the outer frame 13 and all of these plates are in vertical planes at right angles to the wall plate 11. The end plates 17, however, are wider Ithan the end plates 16 and project rearwardly beyond the latter. 'I'he 4top and bottom plates 18 and 19 of the inner frame 14 contact with the top and bottom plates 20 and 21 of the outer frame 13 and all of these Vtop and bottom plates are in horizontal planes at right angles to the wall plate 11. The inner frame top and bottom plates 18 and 19 are somewhat narrower than the corresponding plates 20 and 21 of the outer frame 13, and said plates 20 and 21 have inturned anges 22 on their rear edges .to seal with the.

upper and lower louvers of damper 29.

The end plates 16 of the inner frame 14 have inwardly stamped dome-shaped bearing bosses 23 disposed in vertical rows toward the rear edges of said end plates 16. The top and bottom plates 18 and 19 of the inner frame 14 also have inwardly stamped bearing bosses 24, Vthese bosses 24 being disposed in rows toward the front edges of said `top and bottom plates 18 and 19.

The bearing bosses 23 are centrally apertured to-frictionally receive the pintles 25 of a rear set of horizontally disposed air directing louvers 26 which are preferably of one piece construction. Similarly, the bearing bosses 24 are centrally apertured to frictionally receive the pintles 27 of a front set of vertically disposed air directing louvers 28 which also are preferably of one piece construction. The rear louvers 26 are independently adjustable to vertically director diffuse the hot or cold air discharged between them in the most advantageous direction. Similarly, the front louvers 28 are independently adjustable to horizontally fan out or diluse the discharging hot or cold air. All o fthe louvers 26 and 28 are lightly held frictionally in their adjusted positions.

A damper 29 is provided behind the rear louvers 26, said damper compri-sing horizontally disposed pivoted louvers 30 and links 31 connecting the ends of said louvers for movement in unison. The louvers 30 have end flanges 32 pivoted at 33 to the outer frame end plates 17, and the links 31 are pivoted at 34 to said flanges. A vertically swingable damper adjusting-arm 35 is connected by a link 36 to one of the links 3l and is mounted and operated as hereinafter described.

The arm 35 is disposed at the outer side of one of the outer frame end plates Tand is provided at its frontend with a toothed segment 37, or segmental worm wheel. A worm 38, also at the outer side ofthe end plate 17, is disposed under and meshes with the toothed segment 37, said worm having a squared front `end 39 to be engaged by a key 46 insertable through an opening 41 in the wall vplate ll. Thus, by'rotating the key 40 in the proper direction, the Aworm 3S is rotatedv to swing the arm 35 either upwardly ror downwardly, thereby opening or closing the damper 29 to ,any Arequired extent. After any damper adjustment in this manner, the worm 38 and toothed segment 37 will positively maintain the adjustment regardless of vibration, expansion and contraction andthe like, and the key can be removed to prevent unauthorized persons from changing the adjustment.

A novel sheet metal stamping 42 is provided for pivotally mounting the wor-m 38. This stamping includes a vertical plate 43 disposed at the outer side of the segment 37, said plate 43 having a laterally oifset lower end portion 44 and a relatively narrow laterally oiiset upper end portion 45, said Ioffset end portions 44 and 45 being disposed in a vertical plane and being spot-welded at 46 to the adjacent end plate 17 of the outer frame 13 so as to leave room for free movement of arm 35. At the juncture of the lower end portion 44 with the body portion of the plate 43, an outwardly stamped horizontal channeled bearing portion 47 is provided, said channeled bearing portion 47 rotatably receiving the worm 3g. The arm 35 is pivoted at 48 to the plate 43 above the bearing portion 47. This assembly is very compact and in preferred construction only projects about 5&6 sidewise from the outer face of end plate 17, which thus commonly does not require any enlargement of the opening normally made for the common plain style Wall register with center operator.

The Worm 38 may be of a length to project forwardly beyond the bearing portion 47 as shown, or may be suiiciently short to have its front end within said bearing portion. Near its rear end, the Worm 38 has a peripheral groove 49, and the bearing portion 47 has an inwardly stamped rib 50 received in said groove 49, the worm 38 being thus held against endwise movement in both directions. Preferably, the rear end of the bearing portion 47 is closed by a lug 51 bent laterally from the plate 43.

The channeled bearing portion 47 is of such depth that the worm 38 may contact lightly with the above mentioned end plate 17 as will be clear from Figure 4, thus holding said worm against loose lateral movement. The end plate 17 is preferably provided with an outwardly stamped boss 52, Figures 2 and 4, in the region of the segment 37 and pivot 48, to aid said pivot and the plate 43 in holding the arm 35 against lateral swaying.

From the above detailed description of the present damper assembly, the construction, operation, and use thereof will be apparent, and while a preferred embodiment of the assembly has been shown and described, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention having due regard that such Words as horizontaL verticaL ends, front, and back are purely relative and used as an aid to describing the invention as illustrated.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention f Wall opening, said frame having an end plate, a damper carried by said frame, an elongated swingable arm at the outer side of said end plate and having a toothed segment at one end, the other end of said elongated arm being operatively connected with said damper, a worm meshing with said segment and having a portion to be engaged by an extraneous operating key, a bracket plate closely tting the outer side of said Vsegment and secured to said end plate of said frame, said elongated arm being pivoted on said bracket plate, said bracket plate having a channel-shaped bearing portion in which said worm-is closely but rotatably received and supported, the side of said worm contacting with said end plate and being thereby conlined in said bearing portion of said bracket plate.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said worm having a peripheral groove, and said bearing portion having a rib tting into said groove to hold said worm against endwise sliding.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1; said end plate, having an outward projecting boss adjacent Vsaid segmentv to Vsupport one side of sam'e and aid holding said arm against lateral swaying, and said bracket plate 'which supports the other side of said arm adjacent said segment being held in that position by laterally oiset ends secured to said end plate.

4. A register comprising a frame for reception ina' wall opening, said frame having an end plate, a-.damjn'er carried by said frame, a swingable arm at the .outer `side of said end plate and having a toothed segirrentfat4 one end, the other end of said arm being. operatively .Conf nected with said damper, a worm meshing A'with said seg'- ment and having a portion to be engaged by an ex# traneous operating key, a bracketplate at the outer'side of said segmentand secured to said end plate of said frame, said arm being pivoted to said bracket plate, saidvl bracket plate having a channel-shaped bearing portion in which said worm is rotatably received, said worm coritacting with said end plate and being'thereby confined in said bearing portion, said bracket plate having laterally oifset ends secured to said Vend plate, said worm having a peripheral groove, said bearing portion having 'a' rib,

extending into said groove to hold'said Worm` against endwise sliding, `said end plate having a b oss adjacent said segment and aiding in holding said arm against lateral swaying. A Y

5. A register comprising ya frame adapted forV reception in a wall opening, a multiple louver damper carried Vby said frame for regulating the air discharging therethrough, at least one link pivotally joining said louvers for moving them in unison within ytheir operating range, and adjust'- ing means for said damper comprising a bracketmounted on said frame, an elongated arm pivotally mounted on said bracket and having a vtoothed segment at its pivotedV end, a single link connecting the other end of said elon gated arm to said link pivotally joining said louvers yso that movement of said single link operatively, moves. said` multiple louver damper, and a worm kmeshing .with saidV segment and rotatably carried on said .frame, said`worm having a portion to be engaged by an extraneous key,V and wherein said bracket member issecuredrto anV outer"y side portion of said frame and the segment end of saidv elongated arm as well as said worm are between'said bracket and frame," said bracket member having" a channel-shaped bearing portion which supports said ,Worm from its side, said bearingV portion Aalso having one end through which said operating key ,can engage' an end 'of said worm, and means for holding said .worm substan tially free from endwise movement.

(Other references on following page) l Whitaker "Feb."5', V184879 McKnight Oct. 17, 1933 Gullborg July 31, 1934 Hart et al Dec. 28, 1937 Germonprez Nov. 8, 1938 5 'Thompson Nov. 22, 1938 6 Young June 4, 1940 Childers et al Feb. 24, 1942 Andresen et al. Oct. 9, 1945 Phillips July 10, 1951 Westman July 7, 1953 

